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Rwanda woman jailed in US for lying about genocide role | Rwanda woman jailed in US for lying about genocide role |
(35 minutes later) | |
A woman who lied about her role in Rwanda's genocide to gain refugee status in the US has been sentenced to 10 years in jail. | A woman who lied about her role in Rwanda's genocide to gain refugee status in the US has been sentenced to 10 years in jail. |
Beatrice Munyenyezi, 43, who has been in the US since 1998, once commanded a roadblock where victims were picked to be murdered, prosecutors said. | Beatrice Munyenyezi, 43, who has been in the US since 1998, once commanded a roadblock where victims were picked to be murdered, prosecutors said. |
She was convicted in February of lying to federal authorities. | She was convicted in February of lying to federal authorities. |
After she serves her US sentence, Munyenyezi will be deported to Rwanda where genocide charges could await her. | |
An estimated 800,000 people, mostly from the minority Tutsi ethnic group, were killed in Rwanda in 1994. | |
Munyenyezi is said to be the first person to be convicted in the US over the genocide. | Munyenyezi is said to be the first person to be convicted in the US over the genocide. |
She wept as she was sentenced on Monday in Concord, New Hampshire, to the maximum term possible. | She wept as she was sentenced on Monday in Concord, New Hampshire, to the maximum term possible. |
During the hearing, Judge Stephen McAuliffe said Munyenyezi had "stolen the highly prized status of US citizenship". | During the hearing, Judge Stephen McAuliffe said Munyenyezi had "stolen the highly prized status of US citizenship". |
As the genocide was ending in July 1994, she fled to Kenya, where she gave birth to twins. | As the genocide was ending in July 1994, she fled to Kenya, where she gave birth to twins. |
She later entered the US as a refugee and settled in the north-eastern state of New Hampshire with the aid of relief agencies. | She later entered the US as a refugee and settled in the north-eastern state of New Hampshire with the aid of relief agencies. |
She attended university and worked in a city government office. | She attended university and worked in a city government office. |
But witnesses said that she had been a commander of a roadblock in the southern Rwandan city of Butare, where Tutsis were singled out to be killed. | But witnesses said that she had been a commander of a roadblock in the southern Rwandan city of Butare, where Tutsis were singled out to be killed. |
Defence lawyers plan to appeal Munyenyezi's conviction. | Defence lawyers plan to appeal Munyenyezi's conviction. |
Her husband, Arsene Shalom Ntahobali, and his mother are both serving life sentences in Rwanda, where they were convicted of genocide charges. | Her husband, Arsene Shalom Ntahobali, and his mother are both serving life sentences in Rwanda, where they were convicted of genocide charges. |
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